


i know history. there are many names in history but none of them are ours.

by nereid



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2014-05-02
Packaged: 2018-01-21 15:27:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1555235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nereid/pseuds/nereid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: " i'm perfectly able to hold my own hand but i still can't kiss my own neck"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is not a love story for the books.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i know history. there are many names in history but none of them are ours.

This is not a love story for the books. 

(He knows about 348 reasons why it's not, they're all terribly clear to him. Reason number 102: there will be no happy ending.)

 

(Even) if they survive the War no one will be writing stories about the young, scared redhead who bites her nails until there's no nails left to bite and her tall, rambling friend, who sometimes buttons his shirts wrong, which always makes her laugh. This is not that kind of love.

This love, it's for those cold, cold nights in the draughty Gryffindor tower when he sees that she can't seem to get warm no matter what she does. He tries to, then. Rubs her hands, her arms, covers her with a blanket.

He doesn't succeed, but it's alright, because he's there and he tried. At least he is there.

He'll kiss her then, because he's not a pathetic, scared boy who can't even warm a person up, and then it'll be his hands on her hips and his lips on her neck and her trying to be quiet so she doesn't wake anyone up.

 

His hands shake, always. They never talk about it.

 

(She's gone when he wakes up in the morning, alone on the sofa.)

 

The first time they kiss, he kisses her neck. 

Kissing lips is for other people; people not in the middle of a war, people with time. It's for boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives; it'll be for Harry and Ginny, when Harry comes back from saving the world. Harry's love, that's the kind of love to write about. Epic, blood shedding, curses and hexes and pages and pages of _I'll be back, I promise_. Harry Potter will come back for Ginny Weasley, Neville knows that, just like he knows Ginny will never tell him she loves him. But Neville'll be here anyway. Just until Harry comes back, and there's someone to kiss Ginny's lips. 

 

_I love Harry_ , she says later. She says it more than once, probably, so it's ok if he doesn't look her in the eyes when she says it, just this once.

 

_I love you_ , he says, but only when he's sure she's asleep and can't hear. 

(He does, he loves her, but it's okay. He doesn't need her to know that. That's not what this love's for.)

 

_We could escape. Leave all this behind_ , she suggests, but only when they're left alone in the Gryffindor common room, she only says it when no one can hear.

(Ginny Weasley is nothing if not brave. Or at least, Ginny Weasley is nothing if not the perfect face she presents to the world.)

He's never sure if she means it, when she offers that. Sometimes, when she says that, her eyes can't meet his, and he's not sure if he'll see her for breakfast in the morning. But then he always does, and she sits on the opposite side of the table and tries to smile like she means it. 

 

 

Everyone knows the War is over when Harry kills Voldemort. Everyone is silent for a while, then everyone cheers.

Neville knows the Battle's over when Harry comes to Ginny's side, only moments later.

Harry kisses Ginny's lips, and that's it.

 

Happily ever after.

 

(Right?)


End file.
